Pakistan's Floods Test `Global Solidarity,' UN's Ban Says in Call for Aid
Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Ghouse Akbar, director for the Akbar Group, talks about the flood catastrophe in Pakistan and the opportunity the U.S. may have to strengthen relations through foreign aid. Akbar, speaking with Margaret Brennan on Bloomberg Television's "InBusiness," also discusses the company's plan to assist with rebuilding efforts. Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen also speaks. (Source: Bloomberg)
Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Lama Hasan of ABC News reports on the devastation caused by floods in Pakistan. The Obama administration is increasing its emergency aid to Pakistan as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls upon other nations to step up humanitarian assistance to the flood-ravaged country. (Source: Bloomberg)
Aug. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Pakistan’s destructive floods will raise the cost of the U.S. effort to keep the country from sliding further under the influence of Islamic militants allied to al-Qaeda who oppose America’s presence in the region. Bloomberg's James Rupert reports. Margaret Brennan also speaks. (Source: Bloomberg)
The flooding in Pakistan is “one of the greatest tests of global solidarity in our times,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at a special meeting today of the world body’s 192 member governments.
“This is a global disaster, a global challenge,” Ban said at the opening of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, held to focus attention on the disaster and obtain more aid for Pakistan. “This disaster is far from over. Pakistan is facing a slow-motion tsunami.”
The floods have devastated Pakistan’s economy, submerging 17 million acres of farm land, and may undermine the government’s battle against Taliban and other Islamic terrorists, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said.
“The possible threats of food riots and related violence cannot be ruled out,” Qureshi told the General Assembly.
The foreign minister said peace efforts in the country are “fragile” and need strengthening. “If we fail, it could undermine the hard-won gains made by the government in our difficult and painful war against terrorism” he said. “We cannot allow this catastrophe to become an opportunity for the terrorists.”
Qureshi said “billions of dollars” in crops have been destroyed, including 1 million acres of cotton and 1 million tons of wheat that was stored in warehouses. The “critical sector of livestock has been equally devastated,” he said.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also was among the more than 40 diplomats scheduled to address the meeting. She said the disaster was likely to grow worse and urged an increase in international support.
U.S. Increases Aid
The U.S. will offer an additional $60 million in emergency aid to Pakistan, raising the total to $150 million, Clinton said. In a separate video released by the State Department, Clinton announced a relief fund that will accept personal contributions from Americans including through mobile phone text messages.
Clinton also said the Obama administration would direct toward flood relief about $200 million of the $7.5 billion in aid passed by Congress last year. That five-year package was intended to undercut Pakistani insurgents by strengthening the nation’s government and economy.
Kerry Visit
The devastation caused by floods in Pakistan is an international challenge, Senator John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, said in Islamabad today. He is on a visit to Pakistan to tour flood-damaged areas.
Ban said the UN has received about 60 percent of the $460 million requested for emergency aid. Pakistan still needs a “flood of support,” he said.
The European Union increased its aid to Pakistan by $38.5 million, bringing its total to $141 million, Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Steven Vanackere said.
Germany will add $32 million to $18 million previously pledged, according to the text of remarks to be delivered by Minister of State Werner Hoyer.
The 20 million people affected by the floods exceed the combined total of those displaced by the 2004 Asian tsunami and the earthquakes in Haiti.
Ban said 8 million people need food, water and shelter and 14 million need health care. Agricultural losses would exceed $1 billion, he said.
The General Assembly adopted a resolution urging greater assistance for Pakistan, requesting Ban to “sensitize” the world body’s member nations on the scope of the crisis and report back next month on implementation of the measure.
To contact the reporter on this story: Bill Varner at the United Nations at wvarner@bloomberg.net
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